Use of Total Parenteral Nutrition in Dogs: 209 Cases (1988-1995)

Summary The medical records of 209 dogs receivingtotal parenteral nutrition (TPN) over a 84-month period were examined retrospectively to determine patient profiles, frequency and type of complications, and prognostic factors affecting clinical outcome. TPN administration accounted for 895 patient days. Dogs with diarrhea or vomiting associated with gastrointestinal disease, pancreatitis, or renal failure constituted the largest proportion of patient receiving TPN. The median duration of TPN administration was 3.5 days (range 0.05 to 25 days). The median length of hospitalization before initiation of TPN was 1.5 days (range 0.05 days to 15 days). and this durationwas not associated with survival. Metabolic complications were frequent (329 of 473 complications observed) and were due predominantly to hyperglycemia. Mechanical (118 of 473) and septic (26 of 473) complications occurred less commonly. The overall mortality rate for dogs receiving TPN was 48.8%. Our conclusion: TPN can be a beneficial mode of therapy for carefully selected dogs that have impaired gastrointestinal function (parvovirus, pancreatitis, or inflammatory bowel disease) and are expected to be anorectic for morethan 5 days.